Just Another Day In Paradise
by dvshipper
Summary: SG-1 travels to a tropical climate planet that has everyone relaxed, except Teal’c, who knows there must be something more sinister about the team’s calm attitudes. Teamfic. subtle Daniel/Vala. please R&R!
1. The Warmth of Tranquility

Title: Just Another Day in Paradise

Author: dvshipper

Rating: G (will probably go to a PG in later chapters)

Spoilers/Warnings: none

Summary: SG-1 travels to a tropical climate planet that has everyone relaxed, except Teal'c, who knows there must be something more sinister about the team's calm attitudes.

A/N: Thanks to Lisa Michelle and Erin for being awesome betas on this! The next chapter will depend on all of you readers! If you like and want more, leave a comment and let me know. If you have any ideas or suggestions, don't hesitate to tell me.

Chapter 1: The Warmth of Tranquility

Warm sunlight washed across Daniel's face as he stepped out of the Stargate melting the chill that wormhole travel still gave him. As he looked at his surroundings he was pleased to see shimmering turquoise waters washing up on a golden sandy beach dotted with tall palm trees. The landscape was a perfect, stereotypical tropical paradise, the kind you'd see on the Travel Channel. Daniel heard Vala squeal when she came up beside him on the steps leading down from the gate.

"Finally, a nice planet. I'm so tired of dirty forests and boring deserts," Vala said as she stretched her hands into the sunlight, letting her P-90 hang from its clip on her chest. All she needed were those little exotic beverages she'd seen in movies and a beach towel and she felt like she could stay for a week or more.

"I know what you're thinking and no, we can not take a vacation here or stay simply because you feel like it," Daniel told her as he scanned the horizon and immediate area for anything that looked dangerous or Ori related. He may still be a civilian, but with as much time as he'd spent with Air Force personnel, he'd picked up a few things. However, multi-tasking was something he had always been good at so dealing with Vala and carrying out his responsibilities off-world was relatively easy.

"Don't make up your mind so soon, Daniel. You haven't seen me in a bikini," Vala replied with a wink.

"Yes, I have."

"I don't remember that," she said, looking slightly confused.

"You were pretty drunk," he reminded her.

"And all you did was look? That's hard to believe."

"Who said I just looked?"

"Can we get on with the mission now?" Colonel Mitchell piped in. He was following Colonel Carter and Teal'c down the steps and onto the path that led from the gate to somewhere off in the distance. "This probably leads to somewhere, right, Teal'c?"

"Indeed, most paths do exactly that, ColonelMitchell."

The team moved out following the path until Mitchell heard some rustling in the bushes that lined the way and motioned for everybody to stop. Leaves moved and twigs broke, the noises of movement getting closer. They all had their P-90's in hand, ready to defend themselves against any aggressor that might attack. Whatever was moving around in the greenery was clearly almost to the trail, when they heard something that wasn't exactly a wild animal sound. A woman giggled. SG-1 looked at each other in confusion before seeing a beautiful woman stumble out of the bushes, dressed in a bright blue bikini and leather flip-flops.

"Hello, we're peaceful travelers. Do you think you could take us to the nearest village?" Daniel spouted the usual speech, just as the woman got a huge smile on her face. She was looking at Mitchell not much different than how Vala looked at Daniel when she was about to say something suggestive.

"I can take _you_ anywhere you wanna go, honey," the scantily clad beauty was less than a foot away from Mitchell and didn't seem to notice the others. She had long, black hair and dark tan skin as if she had spent hours in the warm sun with only the bikini she now sported. Mitchell appeared attracted to the female because he didn't back away when she grabbed his hand and led him through the bushes the way she had come from.

"Whoa, slow down!" Mitchell protested as she dragged him through the brush at an increasing speed. He wondered if he should even be following this woman. It could be an evil seductive trap set by the Ori to capture SG-1. Or not, besides he loved it when he got to be like Kirk.

The rest of the team was keeping up close behind, tearing through underbrush as they went. Usually, when someone was getting pulled away by one of the locals, it was cause for concern. However, Sam felt herself feeling calmer than she would be in any other situation. There seemed to be a little voice in the back of her mind telling her to trust this woman and for that matter, any person they may encounter on the planet. Sam wasn't completely aware of this soothing feeling but she kept following the two like everything was normal.

A clearing revealed itself as the group emerged from the thick trees. The space was inhabited by a number of grass huts and there were men and women lounging around, dressed in about as little clothing as the first woman that SG-1 encountered. The people looked to be of Polynesian descent and seemed to have kept the culture and lifestyle of their island ancestors. Daniel spotted a pile of banana leaves on the ground in the middle of the huts which were positioned in a lazy circle. Apparently, they were cooking something. It reminded Daniel of those cheesy luaus expensive Hawaiian resorts hosted for their guests.

"Is this where you live?" Mitchell asked the woman who was still holding his hand even though they had stopped running.

"Yes, that one over there," she told him, pointing to a hut that was a tad smaller than the others around it, suggesting that she may live alone.

Vala observed the two people holding hands, wondering why Mitchell would do something like that off-world. Maybe he was trying to gain her trust or get some information out of her. Vala wasn't jealous, just concerned because Mitchell had become a sort of brother to her, a very attractive brother, but a family member nonetheless. It concerned her when he may be in danger, especially when she thought it might be a trap. Today, however, she didn't voice her feelings like she normally would have. A feeling in her gut that could be termed intuition was telling her it would be okay and that Mitchell would be fine. Daniel was also on her mind, but for entirely different reasons.

"Could I speak with the village elders?" Daniel asked, knowing that a culture like this would be ruled by a council of the oldest members of the community who would probably have information about any Priors coming through the gate lately.

"Of course, they meet in that hut right there," she pointed to a large, almost hall-like hut on the farthest side of the village.

Daniel walked across the center of the village with Vala on his heels, eager to stay next to him. He didn't mind, who could object to a beautiful woman wanting to be at your side? There was almost something romantic about their dynamic off-world. Both willing to die to protect the other, always having each others' backs. As Daniel and Vala got to the entrance of the structure, an old man stepped out. He bowed and Daniel did the same, greeting each other in a silent respect.

Sam and Teal'c watched Daniel and Vala disappear inside the shelter and Mitchell run off, back through the trees with the native woman. "And then there were two," Sam commented, receiving a raised eyebrow from Teal'c. He knew something was not right, but he couldn't place his finger on it. On any other mission, Sam would run after Mitchell and question his behavior. Then again, on any other mission, Mitchell wouldn't behave that way at all. Teal'c, for reasons he couldn't explain, seemed unaffected by the relaxed mood that had settled on the team like a thick fog. A loud shriek interrupted his thoughts, forcing him to spring into action and turn toward the noise.

--

What do you think? More? Too horrible to keep writing more? Let me know!

dvshipper


	2. New Discoveries

Title: Just Another Day in Paradise

Author: dvshipper

Rating: G (will probably go to a PG in later chapters)

Spoilers/Warnings: none

Summary: SG-1 travels to a tropical climate planet that has everyone relaxed, except Teal'c, who knows there must be something more sinister about the team's calm attitudes.

A/N: Thanks to Lisa Michelle for being such an awesome beta on this! The next chapter will depend on all of you readers! If you like and want more, leave a comment and let me know. If you have any ideas or suggestions, don't hesitate to tell me.

Chapter 2: New Discoveries

Teal'c rushed through the bushes, dodging trees as he went. Whoever or whatever was yelling had stopped forcing him to use his memory to locate the source. Soon, he saw two figures struggling. Teal'c immediately ran to separate the two and find out what the problem was. As he approached, he saw their faces and recognized them.

"Cameron, quit it!" a feminine voice cried out while starting to laugh. She was being chased by Colonel Mitchell, who seemed intent on tickling her. The woman the team had met on the path was quickly backed up against a tree trunk and was staring at Mitchell, who had one arm around her waist and the other above her head. They gazed at each other for moment, seeming to have an entire conversation with only their eyes. Then Mitchell lowered his head, kissing her passionately. That was when Teal'c stepped out from bushes behind which he hid.

"ColonelMitchell, what are you doing?" Teal'c questioned his leader.

"Well, Teal'c, what does it look like I'm doing?" Mitchell replied, clearly annoyed.

"It is not your normal behavior to engage in such activities off-world," Teal'c stated, trying to knock some sense into him.

"It's not normal to meet such a beautiful woman off-world," he turned to Teal'c. "Why don't you go find Carter or something?"

"I will inform her that you are unfit to lead this mission in your current state, ColonelMitchell," with that, Teal'c walked back into the jungle, leaving the couple to continue what they had started.

'Something must be altering their minds,' Teal'c thought as he walked back toward the village, using his P-90 to clear vines and branches. As he made his way to the path that would guide him to the rest of the team, an unusual formation of greenery caught his eye. He maneuvered through the thick undergrowth to investigate.

Removing the thick vines that covered the item, Teal'c was surprised that it appeared to be stone underneath. He cleared more growth to reveal a carved statue about seven feet high, three feet wide, and three feet deep. The design was of an exaggerated face with a frowning mouth and a pronounced nose. Clearly, it was important. Upon further inspection of the base of the statue, Teal'c found writing that he recognized as Ancient. He couldn't read it, but he knew it meant something and that Daniel would be able to translate it. A raised engraving was featured in the middle of the language. Teal'c let his curiosity get the best of him as he pushed the engraving, feeling it give as it shrunk back into the statue.

"ColonelCarter, I believe I have found some piece of technology," he said into the radio on his shoulder.

"What makes you think so, Teal'c?" her voice came through the speaker.

"It began to glow, immediately after I pressed the button at its base," he said.

"Okay, that's a pretty good indication. Could it hold on a minute though? One of the local men is teaching me how to fish in the creek behind the village," she told him.

"Fine, ColonelCarter," Teal'c responded into the radio. It was becoming clear that the entire team, except him, was not acting in their normal way and that he would have to go talk some sense into them in person. That decision in his mind, he made his way back to the village.

"Did you get any information from the elders?" Sam asked as Daniel and Vala approached her at the freshwater creek. The two were standing close together, almost leaning on one another. Clearly their affection for one another had grown in the past hour, somehow. Vala wasn't nagging and Daniel wasn't rolling his eyes every other minute. That should have told Sam something was up immediately.

"Nope, but that's alright. The old guys were very nice," Vala responded hardly noticing Sam, keeping her eyes on Daniel.

"I'm sure we'll find something out later. But for now, they've invited us to a celebration tonight. I think we should stay in order to learn more about how they live and which, if any, gods they do worship," Daniel told the colonel.

"Okay, that sounds good. Have you seen Mitchell?" Sam replied, fishing rod still in hand as they walked up the green bank.

"Nope, haven't seen Muscles either. I'm sure they'll show up once they know we're staying for dinner," Vala replied, her hand grazing Daniel's. The three made their way to the village center, with the muscular man that Sam was with in tow.

"Whatever it is it sure smells good," Sam commented, catching a whiff of the meal the natives were preparing. She always thought that if she were to ever go on a vacation, she would go to Hawaii. This was as close as she would probably ever get before she was fifty.

"ColonelCarter!" Teal'c exclaimed as he came out of the trees, making his way towards the three of his teammates. "You must come with me to investigate this piece of technology further."

"Okay already, what's your hurry?" Sam started to follow him towards the tree line when he motioned for her to, bringing Daniel and Vala with her.

"I believe this device may be capable of altering our behavior," Teal'c stated in his usual serious voice as they walked along the path, back to where he had come from. Small animals and birds scattered when they heard his purposeful footsteps.

"Here," Teal'c pointed to the uncovered stone statue. "A blue light appeared when I pressed the carving at the base."

"That's interesting. There could be some kind of device hidden in the structure. Good find, Teal'c," Sam said as she knelt to study the base of the statue with her handheld energy scanner.

"Hey guys, what are you doing so far in the bushes?" Colonel Mitchell said as he joined them, with the native girl at his side who had a good sized grin on her face. Clearly she was happy about something, with her arm draped around Mitchell's.

"Teal'c thinks this might be some kind of alien device that alters people's behavior," Daniel stated, his arm around Vala's waist. "I was just about to try and translate the markings on it."

"Cool," Mitchell said, completely nonchalant.

Daniel bent down next to Sam and immediately recognized the writings as Ancient. As he traced his fingers over the carvings, their meaning became clear. "This is Ancient. It says 'Those who pass will be led by a guiding light on their journey. Peace and prosperity dwell here for all of time.'"

"What does that mean?" Vala questioned, curious.

"I don't know," Daniel shrugged, "but I think it has something to do with that." He looked up towards the face of the statue. The eyes were glowing blue, similar to how Teal'c had described it. All six people stared at the blue light emanating from the hollows in the face. Something was definitely happening, but it was something none of them could explain.

---So what do you think? More? Let me know!

dvshipper


	3. A Night on the Village

Title: Just Another Day in Paradise

Author: dvshipper

Rating: G (will probably go to a PG in later chapters)

Spoilers/Warnings: none

Summary: SG-1 travels to a tropical climate planet that has everyone relaxed, except Teal'c, who knows there must be something more sinister about the team's calm attitudes.

A/N: Thanks to Lisa Michelle for being an awesome beta on this! The next chapter will depend on all of you readers! If you like and want more, leave a comment and let me know. If you have any ideas or suggestions, don't hesitate to tell me. 

Chapter 3: A Night on the Village

The light began to pulsate as SG-1 and the woman continued to stare into it. It was almost as if it was hypnotizing them in some way, drawing their attention into one single point. The native woman didn't seem as affected by it because she tapped Mitchell's arm. "Cameron, what are you guys staring at the Guardian for?" she asked, whispering into his ear.

"What?" Mitchell seemed to come out of his stupor. "You know what this is?"

"Of course I do. He is the protector of our world," she replied as if it was a common fact that everyone knew.

"It's not some kind of weapon trying to brainwash us?" Mitchell questioned.

"No, for as long as I can remember he has never harmed anyone," she said matter-of-factly.

"Well that's good," Mitchell breathed a sigh of relief. "Hey guys! It's not dangerous, so let's go eat." The rest of his team turned to look at him as if to say 'okay, whatever.' Teal'c however looked at the team in disbelief. As he watched them walk towards the village, he knew that if they were going to be put in their right minds, he would have to do it alone.

When the team returned to the village, they were greeted by two groups of people. The first group was made up of five women that led Sam and Vala off into one of the nearby huts. The second group was made up of five men who took Daniel, Mitchell, and a reluctant Teal'c to sit by the bonfire that had been started on the beach. Daniel figured it was there way of preparing foreigners for the feast that he had been told was planned for tonight. 

"I take it you two don't need any advice on attracting a female," one of the tanned men gestured to Mitchell and Daniel. Clearly this wasn't just about the feast.

"Hell no! I consider myself to be quite the ladies man!" Mitchell exclaimed as he threw a stick into the bright blaze in front of him.

"Whatever I've been doing seems to work for Vala, so I think I'm doing well in that area," Daniel replied with a smirk.

"What about you?" a different man asked Teal'c.

"No," he responded simply. He felt he didn't need to play along with the natives considering their 'protector' was brainwashing his teammates. That fact made him definitely not in the mood to talk about women and his love life, should he even have one. Women he loved had often wound up in dire circumstances and situations, so he tried to keep to himself. However, the occasional smirk sometimes slipped toward Sam. 

"That's our Teal'c, the man of many words," Mitchell shook his head as he commented on Teal'c's response.

"You and Daniel seem to be getting along well," Sam mentioned to Vala as the native women were combing through their hair. Girl talk was enjoyable sometimes, especially with Vala who had all the good tips on seducing men. 

"We are quite wonderful together aren't we?" Vala giggled. "Maybe something will happen tonight. You think?"

"Maybe. If only I were so lucky," Sam replied with a slight frown.

"What happened to that man you were with earlier? He was quite handsome," Vala replied, looking herself over in the mirror she had gotten from her gear. Her black hair was loose and wavy over her shoulders. Two of the native women had given her some berry juice that was the perfect shade of pink for her lips, which she hoped would reach Daniel's by the end of the night.

"He did have very nice arms," Sam paused. "And chest. And ass."

"Appears you've made up your mind then," Vala smiled as she walked out of the hut with Sam at her side. "Let's go see where those boys wandered off to."

It was now dark out and torches encircled the village giving the whole place a warm glow. People were walking toward the beach carrying large platters of food. Laughter and the smell of burning wood were carried to Vala and Sam courtesy of the light breeze. 

As they walked onto the sand, the two saw a large fire burning with many people sitting around it. They recognized three as the rest of the team. Mitchell had his new 'friend' sitting on his lap with his arms wrapped around her waist. Daniel was leaned back on a log, engaged in conversation with a young man. Teal'c was the loner of the group, sitting further back and gazing at the bright flame in front of him. 

"Hey guys! Nice party huh?" Sam called to the men as she and Vala approached. The colonel was reminded of long summer nights she had spend by the lake with her group of friends when she was a teenager. A lot had happened on that shore, maybe this sand would provide the same excitement. 

"Hey! Glad you made it, we were beginning to wonder," Mitchell drawled, not taking his eyes off the beauty on top of him.

"Hello, Daniel," Vala purred as she sat up next to Daniel, placing her shoulders beneath his arm. She leaned into his warmth, which was different than the heat of the fire. The warmth she felt from him was caused by a feeling deep in her gut-affection, a passion, a need to be with him all the time. A love. 

"Hello, darling," Daniel replied in an equally sexy and unfairly alluring voice. He squeezed his hand on her shoulder, pulling her tighter to him. Skin met skin as he kissed the side of her forehead. Daniel felt her sigh and he grinned, knowing he'd pleased her. 

Sam sat next to the man who had taught her to fish in the creek earlier, hoping he'd start a conversation. He smiled and she practically melted when he touched her hand lightly. Maybe it would turn out to be a little more than conversation.

As the night wore on food was passed around which consisted of pork, root salads, and fresh fruits. Accompanying the food was a strange alcohol that tasted of coconuts and limes. Clearly the level of alcohol was potent because everyone seemed very drunk after a couple cups of it. 

Teal'c observed his teammates from a distance, realizing they were all going to have massive hangovers in the morning. That wasn't good if they were going to figure out how to reverse the effects of the protector device. The best thing for him to do, he decided, was to get some sleep so at least he would be useful the next day. He knew he'd need his mind clear to solve the mystery of the device on his own. What he didn't know was what was going to happen on the beach after he went to bed.

What do you think? Review and let me know!

dvshipper


	4. Unexpected Findings

Title: Just Another Day in Paradise

Title: Just Another Day in Paradise

Author: dvshipper

Rating: G (will probably go to a PG in later chapters)

Spoilers/Warnings: One faint reference to Sam/Jack

Summary: SG-1 travels to a tropical climate planet that has everyone relaxed, except Teal'c, who knows there must be something more sinister about the team's calm attitudes.

A/N: Thanks to Lisa Michelle for being an awesome beta on this! This is going to be the last chapter of this story unless I get an overwhelming response that demands an epilogue. So if you want more, just review and I'd be happy to write an epilogue. Thanks to all of you who reviewed and read this. Your encouragement means a lot. Anyway, on with the show!

Chapter 4: Unexpected Findings

Daniel saw Teal'c go back to the village after dinner was over. The locals seemed to be pairing off and quietly slipping back into the huts as well. After about an hour, Daniel and Vala were the only ones left on the tranquil moonlit beach.

The fire had burned down to smoldering coals, leaving the couple to the slight chill of the breeze. Vala leaned her head on Daniel's shoulder, feeling both electricity and comfort in his touch. "Daniel, you know what I think?" Vala prompted quietly. 

"Hmmm?" Daniel responded, eyes closed and breathing in the flowery smell of Vala's hair.

"I think you love me," she said plainly.

"Oh really? You think so?" He grinned playfully. "I do."

"I love you, too, Daniel," Vala turned her head up to meet his sparkling blue eyes. He leaned down and caught her lips in a soft, caring kiss. Her mouth eagerly returned the gesture, adding more passion with the use of her tongue. Daniel's hand came up to cup her face as the kiss became rougher and deeper. Tongues explored, hands roamed, small moans escaped.

Daniel had the tiniest point of doubt in his mind, telling him his actions would be regretted. This was however, only a faint whisper. What his brain, or more accurately, his body, was telling him was to take Vala right there on the beach. Daniel had no choice but to listen to that yelling voice and gently lay Vala down on the sand. It was obvious they were both going to have fond memories flood their minds when they next heard the sound of waves.

Sam awoke with a bit of a headache and bright sunlight streaming through the open door of a hut. It took her a moment to realize where she was, but once she did her lips turned up in a grin. Sam turned over to look into the face of the man who had been her lover last night. "Good morning," she whispered as she ran her fingers through his dark brown hair. 

"Good morning, beautiful," he mumbled, still half asleep.

Sam got up and dressed to search for some breakfast. For some reason she had been dreaming of running her fingers through silver hair and in the dream she heard a voice say, 'Sam, leave now.' Taking it as just a silly dream, she brushed it aside into the corner of her mind along with the creeping feeling that something was wrong. Those thoughts were forgotten when she smelled fresh bacon cooking over an open fire. 

Vala opened her eyes to see a masculine and familiar arm across her stomach. The sky was blue above her and the waves of the tranquil ocean were lapping at the shore. On her back she could feel the warmth that was Daniel. She grinned, remembering the events of the night before. "Daniel, darling, it's time to wake up," Vala quietly whispered as she leaned her head back beneath Daniel's chin.

"Too early," he replied, pulling his arm tighter, bringing Vala even closer to him. He felt the vibration of her chuckle tingle all the way to his core.

"You don't even know what time it is," Vala replied moving her hand to cover his on her stomach. If ever she was granted one chance to relive a memory, it would be lying with Daniel on the warm alien beach, just relaxing with each other.

"Yes I do, it's morning which is too early," he said, his lips hovering dangerously close to her neck.

"Even too early for coffee?" Vala questioned playfully.

"Just stay here a while," Daniel whispered, lowering his lips in a feather light kiss on her pink skin. Daniel worked his way slowly to her earlobe, where his teeth grazed across her flesh gently. He stopped to quietly tell her what he planned to do if she stayed instead of making coffee. Clearly Vala like that idea because her body shivered even in the warm sun.

As soon as he awoke, Teal'c was wide awake, never one to be groggy. He rummaged purposely through his pack and his fingers grasped around the object of their quest. Teal'c brought the vial of tretonin to inject into his wrist, feeling the familiar sting of the small needle. A realization then hit him, as if there was a light bulb above his head being turned on.

"ColonelMitchell! ColonelCarter!" Teal'c yelled as he ran into the middle of the village. He was unsure where they ended up spending the night, but he was certain they would be able to hear his call. He watched Mitchell stumble out of the small hut on the edge of the group.

"God! T, what's your problem?" Mitchell asked, clearly annoyed as he squinted in the bright light of day.

"Give me your wrist," Teal'c ordered, taking control of the mission. He took Mitchell's wrist when the colonel got close enough and injected him with the tretonin.

"Hey! What the hell are you doing?" Mitchell jerked back at the poke of the needle. 

Teal'c didn't respond, but instead took the silver tube and turned to see if Colonel Carter had come out yet. When he saw that she hadn't, he called her name again.

"That's it, I'm dreaming, because you would never be this crazy in real life," Mitchell said, following Teal'c and pinching himself.

Teal'c continued until he saw Colonel Carter emerge from a small doorway with a confused expression. "What's going on, Teal'c? I was hoping to go back to sleep," she told him as he approached. 

Teal'c said nothing as he reached for her wrist and pressed the tretonin under her skin. He ignored her obvious displeasure and asked if she had seen Daniel and Vala since the night before.

"Last I saw of them, they were on the beach looking pretty cozy," Sam replied.

Teal'c ran down onto the beach to find that there was no one there. If they had been in the village they would have come out when he called the colonels. Vala wouldn't have slept in the forest, so where could they be? Teal'c scanned the shore looking for anything that he might have missed. To his surprise, he saw a light, slender hand reach over and grab onto one of the larger logs that sat on the beach. A few seconds later he heard a very loud voice moan, "Daniel!" accompanied by the visible hand tightening its grip on the wood. Apparently, Teal'c had found them both.

"DanielJackson! ValaMalDoran!" Teal'c called to them, cautious about approaching should he be interrupting something. 

"Yeah, Teal'c, whatever it is can hold on a minute," Daniel's voice came from behind the log, sounding as if he was out of breath.

"Indeed it cannot," Teal'c replied sternly.

"Indeed it can," Daniel stated stubbornly.

Teal'c saw Vala's hand on the log disappear and then heard a muffled series of grunts from Daniel. It was clearly a good thing Teal'c hadn't marched over to them before because apparently he would have gotten quite an eyeful. He walked up next to the log, keeping his gaze on a palm tree in the distance. "Inject this into your wrist, both of you," Teal'c told them, handing down a vial of tretonin from his vest pocket.

"What? Why?" Daniel responded confused. Vala remained unusually quiet, most likely because she was busy kissing Daniel's neck.

"Trust me," Teal'c replied simply. Daniel took the vial from Teal'c's hand and injected some into Vala's wrist eliciting a small 'ow', then putting some into his own wrist. Daniel handed back the vial, as if to ask if he could get back to more pressing matters. Teal'c began to walk away when a feminine giggle reached his ears.

"Hey, Teal'c, did the locals spike the coconut milk or something?" Mitchell asked, confused at the situation. The two men were gathering up the team's gear to go back to the SGC. After Teal'c had given him the tretonin his mind felt clearer, like a fog had been lifted. He knew he had his judgment back when the woman he had spent the night with kissed him. Mitchell tried to gently tell her he didn't love her and that he couldn't stay. That went over well. Mitchell now had a very sore cheek.

"No, ColonelMitchell. I believe the source of your impaired judgment is a device they call the Guardian," Teal'c explained as he clipped his backpack to his vest. 

"That stone statue, right? Should we disable it?" Sam joined the conversation as she stood by Mitchell. She had had quite a difficult time trying to leave the man who she had woken up with. Sam didn't want to hurt him, but she also couldn't have him thinking they were a couple. When Teal'c had given her the injection it was like she had been woken up from a dream, but the last twenty-four hours hadn't been a dream. She remembered it all too clearly.

"I do not think that is necessary, ColonelCarter. It does protect these people. Anyone who comes through the Stargate most likely experiences the same relaxation as you did. tretonin seems to heighten the immune system enough to counter the effects," Teal'c told the two colonels. He was glad to have his teammates back in their right minds.

"Good point. So we leave the device and get the hell outta Dodge before this tretonin wears off and we become hippies again," Mitchell said, putting his own pack on his vest. 

"Wait, where are Daniel and Vala?" Sam asked, looking around.

Daniel and Vala were walking up the beach back to the village to join the rest of their teammates. The tretonin had kicked in for both of them, but its effects were minimal. Sure their judgment was more present, but they didn't regret anything they had done while still under the influence of the planet. Actually, this little trip had been just the thing they needed.

"Hey guys! Over here!" Mitchell called to the couple when they came into sight. It looked to him like they were still under the influence of the Guardian because they were smiling and holding hands.

"You think they're okay?" Sam whispered to Mitchell and Teal'c, staring at the approaching couple. 

"I hope so, because I don't want to have to explain to Landry why they're acting like teenagers," Mitchell also didn't want to explain to General O'Neill why his favorite archaeologist was brainwashed.

"Ready to head back?" Daniel asked soberly as he and Vala joined their teammates. He picked up Vala's pack that had been with the rest of the team's gear and gently snapped it onto the back of her vest.

"Thank you, darling," Vala said quietly as she ran her fingertips along Daniel's cheek, gazing into his azure eyes. A smiled graced her lips and she turned back to the team, who all had expressions of confusion. "Yes, let's get to the gate. I'm ready for some familiar food."

"You both took the tretonin right?" Mitchell asked, getting a nod from both Daniel and Vala.

"And you feel….normal?" Sam asked and got a nod in response.

"Okay, but you both are getting doubly checked over by Doctor Lam when we get back," Mitchell ordered. "I think we all should."

Daniel rolled his eyes and grabbed his backpack as they started the trek back to the gate. Part of him wanted to stay for a few more days on that beach, spend a little down time away from work. The other part of him said that he had a ton of work to do and that this was no time for a vacation. Daniel knew one thing for absolute certain though and that was that none of them were looking forward to writing the mission report on this one.


	5. Highway to Comfort

Title: Just Another Day in Paradise

Title: Just Another Day in Paradise

Author: dvshipper

Rating: G (will probably go to a PG in later chapters)

Spoilers/Warnings: One faint reference to Sam/Jack

Summary: SG-1 travels to a tropical climate planet that has everyone relaxed, except Teal'c, who knows there must be something more sinister about the team's calm attitudes.

A/N: Thanks to Lisa Michelle for being an awesome beta on this! This chapter is an epilogue of sorts. Stay tuned for a bit of a surprise!

Chapter 5: Highway to Comfort

"Dismissed," General Landry told SG-1 before he got up from his briefing room chair. "Colonel Mitchell, a word in my office."

"Yes, sir," Mitchell followed the general into the office that adjoined the briefing room. The debriefing that had followed their return back through the gate had been long and awkward. What had only been a twenty-four hour mission had proved to be difficult to explain. Mitchell had watched Daniel blush at Vala's version of the story and felt for Sam as she tried to get hers out. He thought he was a teenager again when he was reporting his story, as if he was telling his dad about some wild weekend. Hot cheeks and stammering always ensued.

"I just wanted to let you know that if your team need some down time, I understand. You have a week of leave starting tomorrow," Landry told Mitchell who stood there in the grey room looking a little in awe. "Go spend some time having fun, Colonel. You all need it."

"Yes, sir," Mitchell got the words out of his mouth with a little effort. "Thank you, sir."

Mitchell met the rest of his team in the hall outside General Landry's office. He explained that they had a week away from the base and that Landry wanted them to have fun. As the group walked toward the commissary and discussed the possibilities of time off, Mitchell swore he heard Landry's voice faint in the distance say, "What are you doing this week, Jack?"

Daniel was sitting quietly in his office finishing some paperwork when he heard the light footsteps that were distinctly Vala's. They had yet to talk about what happened off-world, but he knew they needed to. Daniel swiveled around his office chair to see Vala standing in the doorway, all smile, sparkle, and pigtails. "Hey, I'm glad you dropped by," he said, motioning her to sit on the stool next to his desk.

Vala sat in the appointed stool and just smiled with a curious look in her eyes. She didn't want to mess anything up or say something stupid so she looked at him, hoping he'd start the conversation. When he didn't, she figured she had nothing to lose. "We need to talk," she told him, coincidentally he said the exact same thing in unison with her.

"Oh, let me go first," Daniel started. "I just need to say this. I'm happy about what happened between us on that planet and I don't regret anything I said or did. Now what were you going to say?"

"What you just said," Vala told him with a surprised look. With some things it was like they shared the same brain, but those things seemed few and far between. She was glad, however, that they for once agreed on their relationship. Vala giggled and jumped into Daniel's lap.

Daniel was shocked for a half a second then relaxed, feeling comfortable with her closeness. It had been a little difficult to realize that they had actually slept together; that he had let his guard down. Sure, they had both been touchy-feely and apparently high on love when they came through the gate, but once the high wore off things got a little more serious. Daniel started to think about how their relationship could work and wondered if all she had wanted was sex. Then he caught himself overanalyzing it. He told himself that it was a good thing they had started together and not to ruin it by thinking too much.

Vala had her arms around Daniel's neck and her waist was in his hands. She leaned in for a kiss and the moment their lips touched, a voice came from the door. "Don't you two ever stop?" Mitchell said loudly as he strolled into Daniel's office with Sam and Teal'c at his side.

"Apparently not," Sam commented with a grin as she looked at the couple who were hurriedly trying to disentangle from each other.

"Indeed," Teal'c said with eyebrow in full swing, though it sounded more like 'way to go Daniel' than 'I agree with you ColonelCarter.'

"So, what's the plan?" Daniel asked quickly, trying to change the subject as Vala sat back on her stool. Not that he was embarrassed to be showing affection for her, but it felt a little awkward getting caught when you thought no one was watching.

"We're heading up to General O'Neill's cabin. He's getting on a plane right now to meet us there," Sam told them, apparently in a very good mood judging by the size of her smile.

"Yep, pack your bags kids, cause we're moving out at oh-six hundred tomorrow," Mitchell said before he walked back out the door. To Daniel he seemed almost giddy about going to Jack's cabin _with_ Jack.

"Sounds wonderful! Sam, come help me pack!" Vala exclaimed, pulling Sam by the hand out the door of Daniel's office, disappearing down the hall. Daniel was left with only Teal'c standing silently in front of his desk.

"I believe that it would be most wise for you to not bring any work related material to O'Neill's cabin," Teal'c told stoically.

"You're right. Jack would probably kill me with Vala as his accomplice," Daniel replied with a sigh, looking at the papers strewn about his desk. It was nice to have time off, but he really did enjoy his work. However, Daniel valued his life and his sanity so he decided to not even bring a history book, lest Jack or Vala find it in his bag.

"What do you think Daniel would want to see me in?" Vala asked Sam in a serious tone looking at the pile of clothes that covered her bed. Vala had long ago discovered the joys of online shopping.

"Hieroglyphs probably," Sam quipped, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"I'm being serious, Sam. These are important decisions being decided here and I need your help." Vala sighed, frustrated. "You've known him for ten years, what does he find attractive?"

"Well, he always stares at you more when you wear your hair down. You'll also probably want to steer clear of green and black, because he's around those colors every day on the base," Sam told her holding up a light pink t-shirt with distressed looking printing across the chest. "This would be perfect."

Vala watched as she threw the top in the duffel bag that was lying on the floor. She liked having Sam around to do stuff like this with. To just have fun picking out clothes was something Vala had never gotten to do much in her life. Everything either had to be practical or stolen, which left little time for consideration. Sure, her leathers she made certain were always sexy and attention grabbing but that was as much out of necessity as anything else. Being attractive had always been an advantage she needed to keep, but here she was safe. Vala only had to think about how one man thought she looked, instead of any and every man she may come across.

Sam helped Vala pick out a couple pairs of jeans, a skirt, a whole pile of tops and as many different types of lingerie in as many colors as would fit in the bag. A girl must always be prepared for anything was Vala's motto and Victoria's Secret helped her live up to that adage. With the way things were going with Daniel, she honestly didn't know what was going to happen up at the cabin.

The next morning, Daniel looked up from the stack of civilian clothes he haphazardly threw in a suitcase when he heard a knock at his door. Figuring it must be one of his teammates coming to see if he was ready, he opened the door without checking who was on the other side. "Come in," he said as he went into the bathroom and grabbed his toothbrush and razor from above the sink.

"Hey, Jackson, you ready to go yet?" Mitchell asked looking at the still open bag and watched Daniel throw the toiletries in. Why was it that archaeologist and historian types always seemed to either be scatterbrained or continually late? Mitchell himself had his bag packed before he went to sleep the night before.

"Yeah, I'm almost ready," Daniel zipped up the bag containing most everything he'd need over the next few days and grabbed the magazine that was on the nightstand. After picking up his jacket that was at the foot of the bed, he flipped the lights off and followed Mitchell into the hall.

"Good, because we don't want to be late," Mitchell told Daniel with a bit of excitement coming through his voice.

"Late for what?" Daniel questioned, confused.

"General O'Neill just called to say that he was planning on barbecuing and told us that if you weren't ready to go yet, to drag you into the car," Mitchell said as they go into the elevator that would take them to the surface.

"But we won't get there until the middle of the night," Daniel had a confused expression as pressed one of the many numbered buttons on the wall of the elevator.

"Jackson, it's never too late for barbecue," Mitchell said in his best southern drawl.

Daniel and Mitchell met Teal'c and the girls at one of the black SUV's that was always parked at the base. Mitchell threw the keys at Teal'c, who grabbed them without hesitation. "I would be happy to drive, ColonelMitchell," Teal'c said in his deep voice.

The team loaded their bags into the back of the truck and got situated into their seats. The engine roared to life making Teal'c smile one of his rare smiles. Daniel watched Vala, who was seated between him and Sam, dig through the tote bag she called a purse. Her face lit up as she pulled out a CD case. Flipping to the middle, she pulled out one of the silver discs. There was red, feminine handwriting on it that spelled out two words: ROAD TRIP.

Vala handed the CD to Mitchell, who promptly popped it in the stereo and turned the volume knob up. "Life is a Highway" blared from the speakers as they passed the security gate. The team road trip had officially started and Vala hoped it would never end. She was more than happy to spend the rest of her life on Earth, sharing her journey with these people. More importantly, Vala wanted to continue her life with Daniel.


End file.
